Every Twelve Seconds is a short story by Jeff Kautz that was published online on BattleCorps on 23 February 2005. It was also published in print in the second BattleCorps print anthology, First Strike, in 2010, with an ellipse ("...") added to the title.

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A historical piece, new author Jeff Kautz follows an officer from the Duchy of Andurien as he wrestles with a losing situation in a terrible, harsh war. And every step along the way, he is reminded of his men's, and his countrymen's, ultimate price. Paid every twelve seconds...

Their rebellion crumbling as House Marik is reconquering its wayward province, troops from the Defenders of Andurien brigade are retreating from Xanthe III and have left some tanks and infantry behind in the city of New Barstow to buy time for their evacuating comrades. Disillusioned soldier Danny Spriggs, a Brevet-Major at only twenty-six after Major Mitchell's death, is in command of a tank unit and commands the hopelessly outmatched defense forces when the 5th Marik Militia launches another assault in the city. To undermine the defenders' morale, the attacking Marik troops have been calling out a message via loudspeakers for the past four weeks proclaiming that every twelve seconds a defending trooper dies (suggesting that the defenders should surrender before it is their turn to die), and Spriggs cannot help it from influencing his spirit. He stubbornly fights on until his Von Luckner tank is destroyed, implying that Spriggs dies in battle.